The life and Lies of Shadow Evans
by funkyorange
Summary: Lily left James, after realising she didn't love him. She got pregnant with Shadow when she had a short relationship with a man named Nigel Black, and Shadow is born of it.At eleven goes to Hogwarts. But why is Professor Black staring at her like that?
1. The beginning of our story

Lily Evans sighed. James was being a real idiot, going out with the Marauders. But not tonight! He'd promised her a real night in, with romantic food and the like. Since they'd started dating, James had been really cruel to her, and she'd only begun going out with him because he'd promised to be good to her, to change. Why was she putting up with this, anyway? He hadn't changed, he'd hexed and hit her every once in a while, when he was drunk, but he'd still done it. She looked at the clock. She only had an hour until he came home from work. Standing up quickly, she ran up the stairs, packed her clothes, photos, anything that had any value. She shrunk the cases, put them in her pocket, and sat down and wrote a note. She didn't want to leave him in any doubt.

An hour later, James came home, with Sirius and Remus, laughing like a hyena. They'd played a prank on Marlene McKinnon, Peter's girlfriend. She'd cried. Remus didn't think it was funny, but to James and Sirius, it was a huge laugh. James sat down, and hollered, "Lily, sweetie, are you here? Did you go out for something to eat? I'm going out with the lads tonight, change of plans." It was Remus who spotted the letter first. "James, maybe you should read the letter." There was a piece of parchment with his name on it in Lily's cursive script. "It'll be a letter saying she's gone out to buy some food, or something."

_James,_ it read, _I didn't want to do this. In fact, I hate myself for it. But I have to, for my own sake. You have treated me like dirt, James, and remember what I said when you asked me to Hogsmeade? "Only if you change, James Potter." And you did, so I went with you. And after a few dates, you went back to what you were before. An immature idiot is what you were then, and what you are now, with cruelty and violence your middle names. You hit me, James, and I can't ignore that. Yes, you were drunk, but I've seen Mary and Marlene and Amelia drunk, and they don't hit people. I've seen Remus drink, Severus drink, and they didn't, either. And I couldn't leave you, because I was frightened of you. And now I still am frightened, but you weren't here, you were at work, and you know you'll never get a promotion if you drink at work, so you won't be drunk as you read this. Remus, I know you're there, because they always pick you up after work, a word of advice. Get out of the hole you're in. I know you and Sirius and James have been best friends forever, but leave. Tell Peter the same. And if he doesn't, then he's an idiot...or worse. A word of warning, now, I saw a tattoo on Peter's arm through that white shirt he wore on James' birthday. His left arm, and it was a very dark tattoo, and he grabbed it just before he made an excuse to leave. Please don't look for me. I am leaving England, I think. Getting a job, a house, maybe a new man, getting my life back on track. I want to say I love you, but I don't want to lie, either. Give my love to Marlene, Amelia and Mary. Lily Evans. _

"Did you hit her, James?" Asked Remus in a deathly quiet voice, "because if you did, I'm leaving, and not looking back."

"It's ok, James," said Sirius. "She'll come back, begging to be taken back to you. And Moony, of course it's not true. None of it is. Is it?"

"It's true, I hit her. Everything she said about me is true. So I guess Peter's got the dark mark, as well." Without a word, Sirius and Remus turned and walked out of the kitchen, but only after they'd kicked their once best friend in the crotch.

A few months later, Lily Evans was doing well. She lived in Muggle London now, having set up a shop with handmade necklaces, bracelets and earrings. She had a steady boyfriend, a Muggle named Nigel Black, who had black hair and blue eyes. And she was pregnant with Nigel's baby. A few weeks later, her and Nigel split up, and she was left alone with the baby. And that was how Shadow Evans' life as a witch, a Muggle business woman, and a lovely person, was born.


	2. In Which Shadow Shops for Hogwarts

Eleven Years Later

"Hey, mum!" Cried Shadow Evans, black hair bouncing, green eyes wide with excitement, "guess what?"

"What?"

"I was sat drawing in the park," this was Shadow's favourite place, as she didn't have many friends, and it was quiet beneath a tree, "and an owl flew up to me! It gave me _this,_" she said, producing a letter. Lily read it through, and smiled. It was time for a trip to Diagon Alley.

When they got to the Magical alley, through the floo, Shadow skipped with excitement. The hustle and bustle of the place never ceased to make her smile. Looking down at her school list, she sighed. So many new books, most by Gilderoy Lockheart, would cost a lot of money, something she and her mother didn't have a lot of since the shop had gone downhill. Following her mother closely, they went to Gringotts, then Flourish and Blotts. Luckily, after yesterday's embarrassing spectacle with Neville Longbottom, the boy who lived, he'd forgone going today, as well. Neither Lily nor Shadow were enthralled with his works, or his looks, since Lily, once working as an Unspeakable, had tried to find out whether there _had_ been a Vampire, or Werewolf, there at the time, and she'd discovered they'd been handled by two different people. And Lockheart had only been good at Charms, while below average at everything else. It was possible that the Obliviate charm had been cast. Hurrying to Madam Malkin's, the two witches bought new robes, since Lily's old ones had been used for school play costumes, and Shadow had grown like a weed since last year, when they'd gotten the last pair, and Shadow bought some Hogwarts ones. She bought a cauldron, "Severus teaches there," her mother said, "and he's very strict, but he'll be impressed by your ability," quills, ink, "The Wizarding world is very behind, isn't it, Mum?" a suitcase and parchment.

Finally, there was the debate of a pet, before buying a wand.

"We have Athena, but I need to keep her...Maybe another owl?"

"No, she's fast enough. I would really like a cat..."

"Both, maybe? Keep the Owl at home, the cat there?"

"Thanks mum!" She cried, hopping into the Magical Menagerie. Inside, there were many animals, kittens, toads, owls, snakes...even a parrot! Her eyes came to rest on a tiny, silver kitten. The kitten had blue eyes that seemed to plead with her to buy her. She picked up the kitten, holding it close. Suddenly, an owl flew onto her shoulder. "Seems to like you, eh?" Said the owner of the shop. "Have her for free, she's a nuisance. She bugs the other owls. Keep her in your rooms, not the Owlry, if you're off to Hogwarts."

"I will," she promised, picking up treats, a perch, a cage, food and more and paying for her things. Walking out, she thought excitedly: _my very own pets! _Nearly flying back to her mother, she was so happy, she wasn't looking where she was going and banged into a blonde girl. "I'm really sorry," she said to the other, slightly strange looking, girl. Blonde hair, straggly and rat-tailed, hung by her waist, while big, blue eyes looked at her. She had a dreamy look in them, and wore radish earrings and a butterbeer cap necklace. "Love the accessories," she beamed. "My mum owns a shop, and maybe we could get together and make jewellery sometime? Sorry, I'm Shadow. Shadow Evans."

"Luna Lovegood. It's nice to meet you, Shadow Evans. I would like that."

"Nice to meet you too, Luna Lovegood. Are you starting Hogwarts this year?"

"Yes. I am, too."

"Great! Hopefully, I'll see you there! I really need to get a wand now, so I'll say goodbye, Luna Lovegood."

"Goodbye, Shadow Evans." They parted ways, hoping that soon, they would see each other again.

In Ollivander's wand shop, she wasn't surprised when he walked up to her, gazing at her with big, misty eyes, and pronouncing her mother's wand type. She was, however, surprised when a cherry wood wand, inside it powdered Thesteral bone, chose her. She was told to 'use it well', because her mother explained she would be very powerful when she was trained, and because Ollivander could see aura's, he knew that she could either be a new Voldemort, or Dumbledore. She'd felt slightly awed, and afraid, at this, but she knew it was better if she was, because she wouldn't use the power unwisely. Trying to shrug off her concerns, she went to the park, underneath the weeping willow tree, and drew.


	3. In Which Shadow is Sorted

Shadow jumped up on the first of September. "Mum, I'm going to Hogwarts!"

"Not without your case, I hope. And a goodbye to me, too," Lily said, her green eyes, exactly like her daughter's, sparkling. She sat down on the edge of her daughter's bed. Cassandra, Shadow's silver, blue eyed kitten, poked her head out from under the bed as the weight shifted a little. Shadow's bedroom was painted by Shadow herself, the view from atop the tallest tree in the park, the park, a sea and a jungle surrounded her, the night sky above. Shadow sat back next to her mother. "Mum? Aphrodite's going to be alright, isn't she?"

"She'll be fine, she's a great owl. And Cassie's going to be ok with you?"

"Cassie will be fine. _I_ heard that Lockheart is _teaching_ this year. He's helping the other Defence teacher, Sirius Black. And, apparently, helping with the Charms class, taught by Remus Lupin." Lily looked slightly startled at that. Apparently, the men had broken bonds with James. "But honestly, why Lockheart? The man's so thick, you could insult him and he wouldn't notice." She carried on chatting as they made their breakfast, toast and jam with porridge, but the air felt strained. Suddenly, as though she sensed her mother wasn't listening, she stopped, then in a strangely subdued voice, asked, "Will you write, mum?"

Lily enveloped her daughter in a hug. "Sweetheart, of _course_ I'll write! Every day, if you want me to!"

"Not _every_ day," she said quickly. "Every now and then. And I and Luna will send jewellery when we make it." Shadow and Luna had exchanged letters, so she'd learnt Luna's mother had died when she was younger, and Luna knew about Shadow's past.

"Good," said Lily. "I'm really glad you've already made a friend."

"And I'm meeting Ginny; Luna's other friend, today." The rest of the meal was spent in silence, both thinking about the longest time they'd been apart.

A few hours later, they were at the station and by the huge red train. Luna was saying goodbye to her father, as was Ginny, so Shadow decided to say goodbye to her mum. "Bye mum," she whispered, while she hugged her mother, burying her face in her mother's red hair. The whistle blew, so she scurried aboard, along with Luna and Ginny. Sitting in a compartment, she introduced herself to Ginny. "Hi! I'm Shadow Evans," she said. "Ginny Weasley," she smiled back. "And I'm really annoyed with my brother. He said, _promised_, he'd be here on my first ride. But he's not."

"Maybe he's in trouble?"

"No, he's with the _perfect _Boy who lived, Neville Longbottom, and the know-it-all, Granger."

"I didn't see him on the platform, either," she pointed out. "And if they were together..."

A knock on the door stopped her. A bushy-haired girl glared at them. "Ginny, where's Ron and Neville?"

"I have no idea, Granger," snapped back Ginny. At that moment, Ginny looked almost exactly like Shadow's mother Lily could have looked like at that age, with eyes glaring, red hair clashing with the slight flush on her face, hands on hips. 'Granger' sniffed haughtily, and walked out. "I'm guessing that's the know-it-all, isn't it."

"Hermione Granger, she's really clever but flaunts it, throws it in people's faces." The rest of the ride was filled with small chatter, mostly about houses.

The walk from off the train to where Hagrid stood was very short. Simply, they just followed the large man to the boats, where they awaited their first sight of Hogwarts. It was lovely. Lit up in just the right way, the castle looked magnificent. Luna and Ginny were beside her in the boat, along with a boy that had 'fallen' in a little earlier when he hadn't shut up about the boy who lived. Even some of the other kids had found it annoying. Shadow sighed as they got out of the boats and walked up to the castle. Ginny sighed as a teacher, McGonagall, gave her speech. "Fred said it hurts a lot, Granger said it was a test of knowledge, and Ron said it was a _game of chess._" They all snickered at that.

"Well, if they want new students," Shadow replied, feeling amused, "they wouldn't hurt them, would they? And we haven't learnt anything yet, and a game of chess is not relevant to anything at the school, really." Luna nodded, along with Ginny, and some other children who had overheard. McGonagall came out a little later, telling them to line up, as they would be sorted. Shadow squeezed between Ginny and Luna, feeling slightly nervous, because when she was being sorted, everyone's attention would be on her. In fact, she was so nervous she missed the hat's sorting song. Finally, she was called up.

"Bravery, loyalty, cunning, and intelligence! You could go anywhere, my dear," the hat's voice came into her head.

_Put me where I'll fit in_, she thought. _Anywhere I'll fit in and be accepted. _

"Well then...it has to be...HUFFLEPUFF!" Applause scattered the Hufflepuff table. She waited with one ear open for Luna, who went to Ravenclaw, and Ginny, who went to Gryffindor. Dumbledore gave a short speech that made Shadow wonder if he was crazy, then she began to eat, and get introduced to her housemates. "Cedric Diggory," offered a fourth year. "Sally-Anne Perks," a second year said. Finally, she was introduced to everyone. Not many had actually gone to Hufflepuff this year, just her and a boy called Cain. The rest had gone to Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and a couple to Slytherin. The feast was wonderful. She'd eaten so much that she was sleepy and feeling slightly ill. Dumbledore stood up once more, "Now we are all fed and watered, a few words. Professor Lockheart is helping out our defence teacher, Sirius Black, this year." Lockheart stood up, a huge smile on his face, and many of the girls, especially Hermione Granger, clapped enthusiastically. "And the forbidden forest, as usual, is forbidden. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has a list of what is not allowed here at Hogwarts, again, as usual. It has been updated since last year. Fanged Frisbees are now also upon the list. Now, pick your favourite tune and let's sing the school song!"

The whole school bellowed,

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, hoggy warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald,  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling,  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot." Two Weasley's, twins, so Fred and George, sang to a funeral march. Shadow sang to Alice Cooper's 'I love the dead'. Dumbledore wiped a tear from his eye and sent them off to bed.

Hurrying to the Hufflepuff dorms after the prefect, they gave the password, "Merlin", and came into the common room. There were black and yellow bean bags everywhere, on a comfy, warm-looking floor. All around the room, there were pictures of graduating Hufflepuffs, and hard-working Ministry workers. "This is the Badger Hole," said the female prefect, as they hadn't given their names, Shadow had decided to call them F for female and M for male. "Once a week, we sit on the floor and share our problems, and try and help one another out," M took up the commentary. "The bean bags are where we sit to do homework. Down these holes," he pointed down two well-lit holes, "are the dorm rooms. Girls to the left, boys to the right." Shadow set off down the left hole, taking in the beautiful mural painted on the walls. In the middle of the room, there was one huge circular waterbed, the sheets and duvet black, with yellow cushions and blanket. Sitting on the desk at the edge of the room, she wrote a letter to her mother, deciding she'd post it in the morning:

_Dear Mum,_

_I got into Hufflepuff! The hat said I'd do well anywhere, but I'd be really accepted and would fit in. Longbottom and R. Weasley weren't at the feast, nor on the train. I heard they'd flown a car to Hogwarts, but I didn't believe it, really, but there could be a kernel of truth in it. I met Ginny Weasley, she's lovely, and she went to Gryffindor. Luna went to Ravenclaw. Love, Shadow. _

After sealing it and writing, 'Mum' on the envelope, she changed into her pajamas and went to sleep, dreams of sorting hats, flying cars and big red trains haunting her mind.


	4. In which Mrs Norris is attacked

Shadow's first morning at Hogwarts was eventful. She had a short meeting with Professor Sprout, her head of house, who had seemed a little upset, unlike when she saw her last night, before breakfast after she'd been to the Owlry to send her letter to her mother. Then, at breakfast, a Howler exploded at the Gryffindor table, so it was lucky Ginny had decided to sit on the Ravenclaw table with Luna like Shadow. Apparently, Weasley and Longbottom had both been seen by seven Muggles, when they had flown a car to Hogwarts, hit the Whomping Willow (which was what her head of house had been so upset about), and had been caught by Snape when they had been saying bad things about him.

She had Potions with the Ravenclaw students first. Snape stormed in, mood blacker than his robes, and snapped at them that the instructions were on the board. It was a simple boil reducing potion. Nobody's potions blew up, but most people's were the wrong colours, but Luna's and Shadow's were perfect. Snape merely grunted at them, but her mother had warned her that this meant he was pleased.

Secondly, she had Defence. This was where things got...interesting. Black and Lockheart had decided to take first years together, so they'd know both of them. Black was handsome, with black hair, rather like Shadow's, and blue eyes. He actually looked rather like her father, or the photographs she'd seen of the man. His name had been Nigel Black. Black was a very good teacher, he didn't let them get confused about things, he explained it in a way that made it clear to them all. Lockheart, however, was a terrible teacher. He'd taken the second years, and apparently had had to wait for Black to sort out the pixies he'd set on the class.

That wasn't what was weird, however. What was weird was that Black kept looking at her like he'd seen a ghost, or something. She wanted to ask what was wrong with the man, but she couldn't work up the cordage. And this was how it went until Halloween.

On that night, she was at the feast, until the whole hall heard someone scream. They ran towards the screamer, apparently Hermione Granger. There was Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, hung there, dead! Ginny was crying, Luna was staring, shocked, and Shadow was watching Longbottom, Weasley and Granger. Had they done this? But why would Granger scream? And why wouldn't they have fled, leaving someone else to find the body of the cat? If they were trying to get back at Filch, why not hang her in his office? None of it fit! And why write 'enemies of the heir beware'? Did it mean the Heir of Longbottom house or another, more important, family? Was it even connected? Someone could have written it earlier, and they put the dead cat under there to make it seem like the two events were connected? And, if they were trying to get back at Filch, why not just get Filch? Possibilities ran through her mind like lightning. "We didn't do it, I swear," blurted the red-haired boy.

We didn't see much after that, just Malfoy mouthing off about, "You'll be next, Mud-bloods." I wanted to hit him for that, but I got swept away by Dumbledore and Snape arriving on the scene, next to a gaping McGonagall. I bid goodbye to Ginny and Luna and went back to the common room. All the Hufflepuffs lay down on the floor by a silent agreement. "I'm worried," the silence was broken by Cain. "I'm a Muggle-born and if it is muggle-born kids they're after, I'm dead." Several Hufflepuffs, along with Shadow, agreed, even though she was a half-blood, and she piped up, "However, I heard whispers from the Ravenclaws it was Slytherin's heir, and that means he'd go after _Gryffindor_ muggle-born and half-blood students first, and then the light families, and then the rest of us. And that would take a while, right? So Dumbledore might have caught both the culprit and, since the Dark Magic wards didn't go off, the killer."

"I heard she wasn't dead," offered the female prefect, who was called Marie. "Percy Weasley was proclaiming it as loud as he possibly could."

"Yes, but it's his little brother found there, and Ginny, his sister, was really upset," Shadow argued. "I think he'd do _anything_ to get his brother out of Askaban, or a lighter sentence, at least."

"Perhaps," allowed Marie. Jonas, the male prefect, looked at her like she was mad. "Marie, I know Percy, he's a stickler for the rules. He wouldn't make anything up. He says she's not dead, she's not dead."

"What he believes is true," Shadow pointed out. "He perhaps could have thought he saw her breathing, but it was just a trick of the light, so he says she's not dead, believing it to be true, with the added bonus of his sister not being as upset, and his brother not thought to be a murderer, along with getting the boy-who-lived in his good books."

"Maybe," he said, "but first, before we try and work it out, let's get some sleep, see if we can talk to Professor Sprout in the morning." As if he'd called her up by his words, their head of house appeared in the doorway. She smiled at the sight of them all laying together, comforting one another. They sat up, looking at her.

"Now, Mrs. Norris is not dead." Cheering broke out at this, until Shadow spoke, effectively bringing the mood down, "But what could..._petrify_ something like that without killing it? And why was the hallway flooded? Was that something to do with it? And did you find out why Longbottom, Weasley and Granger were there?"

"Many things, Miss Evans, something big, powerful, and dark, a dark beast, could have done it. The Hallway was flooded because Myrtle had a tiny temper tantrum, because Peeves was teasing her. It could have been, I'll suggest it to Professor Dumbledore. Mr's Longbottom and Weasley and Miss Granger were there because Sir Nicholas had invited them to his death-day party, which they saw as a great honour and attended."

"But why not go to the feast? I heard that the food's not good for living beings to eat."

"They say they weren't hungry," said the teacher. "But we're making a Mandrake Restoring Draught with some mandrakes we were going to use in the second year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw classes. But I don't trust the Ravenclaws not to take one while I'm not looking, because they'd do anything for knowledge. And I've got that shifty Terry Boot in that class." Shadow made a note to warn Ginny away from Terry Boot: she had a slight crush on him. "Anyway, I want you to always travel in pairs: I don't trust that Professor Dumbledore has done enough to protect the students. Nobody else will listen to me, of course."

"Maybe we could travel with our friends?" Shadow suggested. "From other houses, I mean. It's a sneaky way of helping protect them."

"Good idea. I don't think it's a younger student, and _if_ it is an older student, they might not attack their friends. 5 points to Hufflepuff, now, I think it's time to sleep, if nobody else has any questions?"

"What can I tell my mum?" Asked Shadow.

"Tell her the truth, that Mrs. Norris has been attacked, but we're keeping searching for the attacker and doing our best to keep the students safe." Shadow nodded, and their head of house left, bidding them goodbye. She hurried to her room, eager to share what was happening with her mother.

_Dear Mum,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written sooner! My first lessons were brilliant, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to write! Tonight, Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat (remember Filch?), was attacked! Professor Sprout is doing her best to make sure everyone's safe, and she thinks Dumbledore's not doing enough. I have to go to bed now, but I miss you and I promise I'll write sooner. _

_Love, Shadow. _

Later that night, she awoke with a bad feeling. She knew something had happened, something bad. Rolling over, she tried to go back to sleep.

In the morning, the feeling was forgotten in the wake of the fallout of another attack...


	5. In Which Professor Black talks to Shadow

It had been Luna. Shadow sat with Ginny at the Gryffindor table, who was crying quietly. Not that Shadow was any better; her emerald eyes were swimming with tears as she hugged the other girl. "We'll get her back, Ginny," she whispered. "She'll be back with us as soon as she can be."

"I'd hoped the amulet she told me she'd made a few weeks ago, when she'd gone to Switzerland, to keep her safe. She told me it would! How could she lie like that?"

"She didn't mean to lie. She thought she would be safe," Shadow whispered. "And Dumbledore will do something, I _know_ he will, and if he doesn't, we'll talk to Flitwick and McGonagall. And if they don't, we'll write home, and get other people to do the same." Ginny sniffed, when her older brother Ronald 'Ron' Weasley walked over. He hadn't liked Shadow since he'd met her, so he ignored her. "Heard Loony got petrified. That's _good_, Ginny, you can make your own friends." Ginny gave a loud sob and ran off. Shadow glared at Ron, picked up her and Ginny's bag, and went over to the twins. "Ginny's upset," she told them. "And I'm trusting you to not make a joke out of this." They went up to Gryffindor, where one covered her ears and the other said the password, and pointed her up the girl's staircase. "Hey," she said softly. Ginny was lying on her bed, crying. "Come here." Pulling the other girl into a hug, she rubbed her back. "I'm upset too," she whispered.

"Luna was my only friend," she whispered. "Before I met you. I was so _lonely_, the only girl, with six brothers...And then, before her mother died, she would come over with cookies, and I met Luna. After her mother died, when her dad drank, Luna would come to our place and eat, before she learnt how to make food for herself and her dad."

"We'll go and visit, Ginny, I promise. And then we'll start writing home." When Ginny and Shadow went to visit Luna, they were stopped by Professor Black. "Miss Evans, may I speak with you?"

"I'm sorry, but no," she replied as politely as possible. "We're going to see Luna. We have to see her, we're her best friends."

"Perhaps on the way back?" the man looked very upset at being denied this, but tried to hide it.

"Perhaps," she allowed. "But we're both very upset about Luna." Stepping past the teacher, they continued their walk to the hospital wing. As soon as they got there, they hurried to Luna's side. She was stiff as a board, lying down with her misty eyes wide open in excitement, fear and surprise. The emotions were trapped on her still face. "Luna," Ginny breathed, "you have to be better soon."

"She will be," comforted Shadow. "And we'll do what's best...visit and take notes on our classes for her. She won't want to miss anything, will she?"

"No," sighed Ginny. The rest of the time was spent in silence, wondering why Luna had to be attacked, and wishing their friend had not been.

On the way back from the hospital wing, Shadow hugged Ginny and told her to go and talk to Professor Flitwick. She had to talk with Professor Black, and she'd mention their plan to the man, but Flitwick was their best bet. Walking to Professor Black's office, she knocked on the door. "Miss Evans! Come in!" The professor's voice came through the heavy oak door. "This is Professor Lupin, the upper years Charms teacher, and a good friend of mine."

"Good morning, Professors. May I ask why I was summoned here? It's not my essay, is it? I mean, I only researched for Defence for half an hour because I thought I knew the material, but then why is Professor Lupin here? It's both, isn't it? I did research charms properly, though, didn't I? Mum's really good at Charms and Potions and she taught me the basics but nothing practical and is Professor Lockheart going to be here because he's helping Professor Lupin, I saw him trying to teach in Ginny's lesson when I passed but I think he did something embarrassing because Professor Lupin taught ours." All of this was said in one breath.

"It's about your mother. Lily Evans was a friend of ours, nearly married our old friend, James Potter." Her eyes narrowed. Two men, old friends of her mother's, friends of _James Potter_, who her mother had told her about, "Is he looking for mum?" she asked, voice as cold as ice.

"No," Professor Lupin assured her. "_We_ are, because we want to say we're sorry."

"I won't tell you where she is," snapped Shadow. "Write her a letter, have you tried that?"

"No," Black said, ashamed.

"Try it," she snapped, and walked out. As she rounded a corner, she noticed Nearly Headless Nick floating around the corner. Suddenly, a green snake flew round the corner and she saw nothing more.


	6. In which Lily Evans returns to Hogwarts

Shadow drifted, aware of her body being left behind. She found herself in the corridor where she had been petrified. She looked around, seeing nobody there, just her body laying there next to Nick's. She started. "Are my eyes really that green?" She asked herself. Sighing, she floated by Flitwick's classroom. It was nearly the end of the first period, and her body would be found soon. She sighed. _Everyone_ would be looking at her. She wondered if Luna and the rest were around here somewhere. Concentrating, she thought about Luna, the way her eyes lit up when she was talking about some creature that nobody else had heard of, her blonde hair when she'd forgotten to brush it: and suddenly, she was in front of Luna. "Luna!" She squealed, hugging her tightly.

"Did you get petrified, too?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Do they write a letter home to inform the parents?"

"Yes," replied Luna. "Let's follow Ginny, make sure she's okay. I was following you and Ginny, but I missed you getting...well...you know."

"Maybe you can meet my mother? She'll come, definitely, when she hears about what's happened." The bell rang, and they heard screaming from someone a few floors above. "That'll be them finding me."

"It's hard," Luna murmured. "The worst part is, when you see the people who know you find out about it, and they're always really upset. Plus, it's really boring, being like this. Nobody can see us, or anything, so there's only Mrs. Norris, you, Nick and myself here." Shadow sighed.

"How's Ginny taking it?"

"She's not taking it well." Their talk was cut off by a scream, and then a screech that made everyone in the castle cover their ears.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SHADOW HAS BEEN PETRIFIED?"

Hurrying up to the office, saying a quick goodbye to Myrtle, they saw Lily Evans stood, wand in hand, glaring with Avada Kedavra eyes at the headmaster, along with Professors Sprout and McGonagall. "I GOT A LETTER SAYING YOU HADN'T BEEN DOING ENOUGH TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE, BUT I THOUGHT YOU'D DO SOMETHING WHEN I SENT THAT LETTER! AND WHAT'S BLACK DOING, HUH? IS HE OR IS HE NOT PROTECTING THE STUDENTS?" She was screeching like a banshee.

"Luna, this is my mother, Lily Evans." The screeching woman was silenced by Snape, who walked inside. "Miss Evans..."

"It's Lily, Severus."

"Please, _Lily,_ calm down. We are doing all we can for both your daughter and the others."

"OTHERS? OTHERS! WHY HAVEN'T YOU CALLED SOMEONE, A PROFFESIONAL TO GET RID OF WHATEVER'S DOING THIS?"

"Because we have no idea what is doing this, Lily," Snape said.

"It's obvious. Check the library, it's in there! It's a basilisk doing this, Severus! And there must be a Parselmouth at this school, so find them!" Suddenly, a painting from downstairs ran into an old headmistress' portrait. "Headmaster, there's been another attack, but a double one, this time! A Gryffindor boy and Penelope Clearwater! I don't know the boy's name, ask Florence."

"I shall," Dumbledore said.

"Lily Evans, the cleverest girl in the year! Shame you weren't a Ravenclaw, like your daughter should be. Even though she's a Hufflepuff, she's still clever." Lily smiled at the praise, both to her daughter and herself, before sighing and walking out of the office, saying over her shoulder, "I'm going to the hospital wing to see my daughter." Luna, as if sensing that this was a private moment, drifted away as Shadow floated beside her mother. When they got to the hospital wing, she floated through the doors to her bed. "Shadow," wept Lily, "why did this happen? If only you hadn't stayed behind to see Black and Lupin! If only you hadn't come here! I thought this was safe, but it's not! It never _has_ been, with those Marauders and Longbottom kid and everything." She took Shadow's body's still hand, running her fingers over Shadow's body's face, smiling through her tears. "You'll be back soon, though. I'm going now, sweetheart. I love you, and I'll be back tomorrow."

When she arrived at home, she got a letter that Ginny had sent to her:

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_My name is Ginny Weasley and I'm your daughter's friend. Both Shadow and Luna, our other friend, have been petrified. I just want to say I'm really sorry. My older brother Ron is teasing me about this sort of thing, and I don't have anywhere to write it down in. I had a diary, but I gave it away to someone, I don't remember who now, because it didn't feel right. Anyway, I wanted to say I'm really sorry, and that I've sent some photos of Shadow, me and Luna. A boy in our year, Colin, took them. _

_Again, I'm really sorry,_

_Ginny Weasley._

Lily took a few moments to look at the pictures: in every one, Shadow was laughing and smiling, in one picture she was sat with them beneath a tree, drawing the two girls. She looked at it and felt an ache in her heart. Her baby was gone. But she would come back...she had to.


	7. In Which Narcissa and Lucius get revenge

Hermione Granger soon came to join their ranks, along with Ginny and Draco Malfoy. And that led up to a surprising turn of events.

Lucius Malfoy was furious, along with Narcissa Malfoy. They were doing everything they could to get Dumbledore out of office, such as Narcissa, when she went to dine with the other pureblood, rich family's women, telling them tearfully (which she had not needed to fake as she loved her son more than anything) about Dumbledore not doing enough to help not only her son, but the Lovegood and Weasley children. She'd also said, "If he's such a muggle-born lover, why not help them out?" before artfully changing the subject, but still she had planted the seeds of distrust and worry for their children in their minds. Lucius did the same, with Arthur Weasley, Fudge, Bones, and more important people high up in the ministry. Weasley wasn't that important, but he was a big supporter of Dumbledore and for this to work, he needed to shake that trust.

The next thing the head of the Malfoy house did was speak to the others on the school board, made up of purebloods that he and Narcissa had spoken to, apart from Lady Longbottom, who had taken in the boy-who-lived, but that woman wanted more than anything to avenge Frank and Alice Longbottom, who had died by Voldemort's hand, because of not enough protection from Dumbledore, and wanted the boy who lived safe, because he _was_ her grandson, after all. Serena Zabini, an aloof second-year Slytherin's mother, who also loved her son as much as she loved her 'black-widow' status, was Narcissa's friend, so had gossiped about 'poor Draco' as she had been let in on their plan.

Narcissa had a friend of the journalist persuasion: not Rita Skeeter, the writer as subtle as an elephant dancing in front of you wearing drag, but Jennifer Rowle, who was neutral in the whole blood-war thing, but more than happy to help out a friend and Draco, who she had babysat when Lucius and Narcissa had needed to be somewhere. And then, Narcissa reached out and contacted an old friend of hers, whom she'd gone to Hogwarts with, and they had fallen out of contact when she had married Lucius. Narcissa wasn't really bothered about blood, she felt that the Dark Lord should have killed stupid people so they couldn't contaminate the gene pool. Narcissa Malfoy wrote an owl to her old friend Lily Evans.

_My Dear Lily:_

_I have not seen you in many years, nor have you seen me either. But I heard about your daughter, Shadow, I believe, and the same has happened to my darling son, Draco. I'm very sorry about it. I know just how you feel, and that's why I wanted to ask you to please do an interview about Dumbledore not doing enough for you, your daughter, my son, Ginevra Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood and the ghost, Nearly Headless Nick? Maybe we could meet up and arrange it? I have missed you, Lily, quite badly, and the recent events have made me realise how important it is to keep up contact with friends. Again, I am very sorry about your daughter._

_All my heart, from Narcissa._

Lily stared at the letter in disbelief. She couldn't believe Narcissa had contacted her after all this time. It _had_ been years, and she _had_ missed Narcissa... Yes, she would meet with her friend.

_Dearest Narcissa:_

_I must admit, it was a great shock to hear from you after all this time. I had not heard about your son, as Shadow is the only contact I keep with Hogwarts. I am very sorry about your son. Draco is a lovely name for a child. It means 'Dragon', does it not? I heard he has your hair and your husband's eyes; he would look a lot like the water dragon of childhood tales. My daughter thinks he is lovely-looking. I would be glad to be interviewed by Jennifer Rowle. Yes, I know who you're talking about. Dumbledore has betrayed my trust, also. There is a fabulous Muggle cafe down my street. Nobody would suspect, so it is perfect. It serves food and drink. It is called Cafe Nero's, and any day is good for me. Business at my shop is slow, so anytime is fine, apart from 8 o' clock, for that is when I visit Shadow. I like to think she can hear me, somewhere inside her mind. There is one thing you can do for me in return, however. It is this: look on the Black tapestry (Squib version, and yes I know about that) and check for a Nigel Black. He is Shadow's father. _

_All of my heart, from Lily._

Handing it to Athena, her owl, she turned around and sighed. _Have I done the right thing?_ Was the only thought on her mind, and she turned the thought over in her head for hours, until she locked up the shop and turned out the lights.

Narcissa looked at the reply from Lily. She was happy that Lily wanted to meet her again, that she would do the interview, and she wondered if Shadow would be a good influence on Draco. Perhaps they could arrange a time for the children to meet? Hurrying over to the Black Manor, she looked at the Squib tapestry. There was no Nigel Black on it. Not one.

_My Dearest Lily: _

_There is no Nigel Black on either tapestry. Shall we meet up tomorrow at twelve? That Muggle cafe sounds charming, I shall inform Jenny (which is what she insists on being called) to come, and then we could go back to the manor and talk? What shall I wear, Muggle clothing? I have Muggle Business Women's clothes? Will that do?_

_All of my heart, from Narcissa._

Lily smiled.

Meanwhile, Shadow and Draco were talking. "You know, our parents used to be friends," Shadow pointed out.

"Yeah, I did know that."

"Perhaps we should try to get to know one another?"

"Okay." There was an uncomfortable silence.

"How about twenty questions? We get ten questions each, and we have to answer them. Shall we?"

"You can go first," was Draco's only answer.


	8. In which The Revenge is taken

Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. The Minister for Magic was hounding him to do _something_ about the Malfoy boy being petrified. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was pushed out of a job, plus, his socks didn't match _and_ Trelawney was badgering him for a pay rise. He honestly didn't think his day could get any worse. When he walked into the hall, even the boy-who-lived, his main supporter, was glaring at him. When he saw the paper's headline, he knew why.

_**HOGWARTS' DIRTY LITTLE SECRET SPILLED BY UPSET MOTHER! **_It screamed. Sitting down on his throne-like chair, he began to read.

_**Everyone says Hogwarts is the safest place in Magical England, if not the world. But is it?**_

_Since Halloween, notably the night Frank and Alice Longbottom gave their lives for their only son and heir Neville Franklin Longbottom, the boy-who-lived; Hogwarts has been plagued by a series of sinister attacks. First, it was Mrs. Norris, the caretaker Argus Filch's cat, and in the morning, first-year Luna Lovegood was found. Since then, several other students have been attacked, Shadow Evans, first year, Penelope Clearwater, fifth year, Colin Creevey, first year, Ginny Weasley, first year, Hermione Granger, second year, and Draco Malfoy, second year. And Albus Dumbledore sent home letters saying: 'We are afraid to tell you your child has been injured at school. They will, however, be better soon', the same letter that is used to document Quidditch injuries, or ones in Classes! Only when concerned parent, Lily Evans, 32, went up to the school and demanded to be told what had happened to her child Shadow Evans, mentioned above, and after much argument was she told that her daughter had been petrified! _

_We asked Miss Evans what she thought about not being informed of her daughter's state immediately, "I think it's awful. Dumbledore was trying to cover up the fact that this is _serious_. I feel sorry for the Muggle-born students' families. Hermione Granger's, for example, won't know that their daughter has been petrified."_

_We asked Miss Evans if she thinks Dumbledore is doing enough to keep the students safe. "No," was the swift reply. "If Dumbledore had gotten a professional in when the attacks had begun with Mrs. Norris on Halloween, most of the others, if not all, could have been prevented. In fact, the books necessary to determine what creature is roaming the castle were there in my time at Hogwarts. And I knew that, but when I first applied for the Defence job, I was turned down. However, Professor Black, who did not know, _was_ hired. And I'm starting to wonder why. Because he was a favourite of Dumbledore's, maybe?" _

_We asked her if she thought that there could have been more incidents could have happened last year, and her reply was a firm, "Yes. I was talking to Narcissa Malfoy when we crossed paths at Hogwarts' hospital wing, and she told me that last year at Halloween, a troll got into the castle. Hermione Granger, another victim, was almost hurt. However, Mr. Quirrel (the teacher last year) is rumoured to have a way with trolls so why did he not help? Why were three first year students (Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley and Neville Longbottom) the ones to defeat the troll? There could be more incidents like this, and Dumbledore wouldn't let us know about them unless we poured Veritasirum down his throat!" _

_So, is there a more sinister reason for Professor Black's hiring? Is there more in Hogwarts' history that nobody knows? And if so, why hide it? This reporter wants to find out._

_By Jennifer Rowle. _

Yes, Albus' day could hardly get any worse.

Molly Weasley looked at the paper in horror. "Arthur!" She yelled, her hearty lungs making birds fly out of the orchard in the garden because of the noise.

"Molly?" He asked, running down the stairs.

"There was a troll at school last year! And Ron was there!"

"Malfoy said something like this," Arthur said. "He was talking to me, saying Dumbledore should be more careful with our families, and our saviours, safety." Arthur looked at his wife. "Molly, I don't think we should trust Albus as much as we have done in the past. If he lied to us about our children's safety, what else could he have lied about?"

Augusta Longbottom was not a happy woman. She'd never trusted that man with her precious grandson's safety, and she was right not to have! Calling Slinky, her grandson's personal house-elf, she told Slinky to deliver a letter when she was done writing it. After that, she'd send off her howler.

_Dear Neville:_

_Don't trust someone in your house. Unfortunately, everyone could be out to get you. Maybe everyone is! But, don't trust anyone is the point. Let me tell you to just stay with your friends. Even something as small as that will make me worry less. Deirdre, the new owl delivering this, is now yours. Of course, you must remember not to overwork her, and to feed her. Ronald Weasley was involved with that troll? Even so, I still don't think he's safe, so remember DON'T TRUST anyone, even him._

_Love from Gran._

The next morning, all of Hogwarts saw Albus Dumbledore cascaded with howlers, Molly and Augusta's voices the loudest, and a boy-who-lived wondering why he shouldn't trust Dumbledore.


	9. In which Dumbledore is found out

It was Christmas at Hogwarts. Usually, a time for laughing, for joy, and for eating so much that you fell asleep. However, this year, it was a sombre time, where there were only the petrified students and their families. This was not because they had been ordered to go home to keep them safe, but because they were ordered to go home by angry parents. Dumbledore still got Howlers every morning, as some entertainment with breakfast, and Lockheart was still an idiot, and the petrified students were still bored.

Shadow sighed. "It was fun," she said, "to watch Dumbledore's reputation being torn to shreds in the paper, and it's getting even better every day because he's slowly losing it, but it's boring waiting for it to happen. It's kind of amusing to see Fred and George's pranks, though."

Ginny sighed. "I just wish...no, forget it."

"What?"

"Well, it's Christmas..."

"Our families will be in the hospital wing! Come on, Granger, Creevey, Penelope, you can spend it with us! It's okay!"

"Are you sure?" Asked the prefect.

"Yes," all four replied at once. Luna looked up at the sky. "Daddy won't be here. He always spends Christmas at Mummy's grave."

"Luna, if you like, next year...you can spend it with us?" Asked a hesitant Shadow, however it appeared this was the right thing to say as Luna beamed and threw her arms around the other girl.

"It's _Christmas!_" Gasped Granger, and fled. But Shadow wasn't letting it go that easily! She followed the other girl, and found her crying. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's my first Christmas away from my mum and dad!" She wept. "And they'll think they've done something wrong, won't they?"

"They won't. If you explain to them in a letter as soon as we're okay, which looks to be coming really quickly now, they'll be angry with Dumbledore, but if you explain that there's McGonagall, a very strict, but caring, woman, then maybe they'll cool off a little. And if you ask to go next year and if you don't get hurt then they'll see it was Dumbledore, not magic."

"Thank you," whispered Granger, hugging Shadow spontaneously. "And it's Hermione, Evans."

"And my name's Shadow, Hermione," she replied, smiling at the older girl.

"Think of how much work we'll have to catch up on, though!"

"We'll manage it, even if we have to study with coffee as our sleep."

Lily Evans held her daughter's hand, whispering, "Guess what? We got a ton of new customers, for the Christmas rush. They all said they'd be back soon, isn't that great? And Millie's had her baby, she's called the boy Jonathan John, won't let me call him Jon or Little Jonny or anything. Harsh, huh, so I call him JJ. But Jon John for a name? Poor kid will be teased mercilessly."

The children entered silently, going to their respective families, and sat down to begin listening to Lily's tale of JJ the child of Mille (who, Shadow explained, was the rude lady that lived next door), who would be teased mercilessly. And then Lily told Shadow's body Mrs. Tobias across the street had died in her sleep and she was really upset. "I really liked Mrs. Tobias. She babysat me when I was a kid and mum was stressed, or out with her friends," Shadow sighed.

"And then," Lily said, "Only the other day, I spoke to Narcissa again. She says she wants you to meet Draco. She says she feels like a Veela, matchmaking like crazy!" Suddenly, Shadow and Draco couldn't look at one another without blushing. "Oh, and listen to _this._ It's a newspaper, about Hogwarts." They all leaned forwards, all ears, and embarrassment, on Shadow and Draco's parts, forgotten.

They crowded around Lily and began to read the newspaper:

_**DUMBLEDORE'S SCAMMING OF CHILDREN!**_

_**Albus Dumbledore has been taking money off Brittan's magical children's families! **_

_In a simple scheme, Albus would force parents to pay for the child's Hogwarts education apparently without the teacher's knowledge. If they did not pay, they would be forced to pay a 2000 galleon fine for every year the child was at Hogwarts. If the child got pulled out, they had to pay for the remaining years, even if they never set foot on Hogwarts soil! Of course, this was the fine print, so small that this reporter could hardly read it with a revealer _and _an ink clearing charm! For poorer families, like the Weasley's, or larger families, again, like the Weasley's, who had to pay this horrendous fine, Dumbledore offered what _could_ have been a ray of hope. He would make them pass a 'simple' test and they would get a Scholarship. The thing was, this test was the same for first-years as it was for seventh, and it involved complex transfiguration only a Master or Mistress of the art could achieve. And when the child failed the test, they had to pay a galleon for each question the child answered wrong, or did not answer, all the while being fooled that the child wasn't good enough to attend Hogwarts. _

_Secondly, the man underpaid his teachers horribly, Madam Hooch, Hogwarts' flying instructor, tells this reporter that the school brooms have not been updated in years, resulting in many accidents that could have been prevented had newer brooms been bought, and the school library has not been updated in 40 years, from when Dumbledore became headmaster, resulting in lower grades, and less Aurours and healers, since standards have not changed for centuries. So, parents have been paying for their child to receive a less than standard education since Dumbledore became headmaster. Several people have commented upon this, but all wish to remain anonymous in case Dumbledore attacks them or their families politically. Serena Zabini had this to say, "My son Blaise is a second year, and he's not as proficient with magic as his great-great grandfather, Wilfred Zabini (aged 240) , was at that time of his life. It's all recorded in his journals." _

_This reporter wants to make sure nothing as bad as this ever happens again, and several mothers are baying for the blood of this old conman. _

_Jennifer Rowle._

"Jenny's really hit the jackpot with this. Soon, she'll be bigger than Rita Skeeter, that..." Lily's words had all the children blushing as red as Lily's hair apart from Penny, who agreed vehemently.

Shadow smiled. _What could be better_, she thought contentedly, _than listening to my mother and friends bitch about a rude cow?_ That had made her Christmas. 


	10. In Which Shadow talks to Draco

Minerva McGonagall's first act as Headmistress was to fire Binns and Lockheart, the second to order a mandrake restorative draught immediately, and the third was to finally get some sleep.

Lily Evans was uncertain she wanted to do this, but she reassured herself with the thought: _at least if it works, I can tell Shadow who her father is. If it doesn't...Well, it won't matter._ Checking to see Madame Pomphrey wasn't looking, she took a tiny drop of blood from her daughter's hand. Hurrying to the Room of Requirement, hands shaking slightly, she poured the blood into a green potion, which was designed to show the bloodline of the child. "Maternal bloodline: Lily Evans, Mother, Petunia Dursley, Aunt, Dudley Dursley, Cousin. Juniper Evans nee Costello, grandmother, Davey Evans, grandfather..." more names spelled out in the smoke, but Lily was most interested in the paternal bloodline's smoke. "She's _his_," breathed Lily. "Nigel didn't exist. I knew it, of course, but..._his._" Lily broke down in tears, screaming, "Why did she have to be his?"

Meanwhile, in the silent Hospital Wing, Shadow became still, hearing her mother's crying. Suddenly it stopped, and a few minutes later Lily, rumpled looking and tearstained, hurried back inside. Madame Pomphrey looked at her. Shadow's, Ginny's, Luna's, Hermione's, Draco's, Penelope's and Colin's bodies lay in the hospital wing, their 'souls' standing next to their bodies. Madame Pomphrey dripped the potion into their mouths, rubbing their throats to get it down. Shadow blinked, blinking again, feeling her lashes against her cheek, she gasped. She had a _body._ She was _real_ again! She could talk to her mother, feel real, eat, sleep...she could do it all again! Lily gathered her daughter, who's emerald eyes _so like hers, so like hers,_ shone with tears that overflowed, and they clung to each other like they were drowning and the other was their lifeline. "Luna! Is Luna okay?" Shadow gasped, heading to her friend's bedside, then along to Draco's, Ginny's, and the others all in turn. They all hugged, crying tears of joy to feel again. Draco's blonde hair mixed with Shadow's black, Shadow's with Ginny's red, Ginny's with Luna's blonde, Luna's with Hermione's brown...they were a huge circle of gasping, sobbing friends, which soon turned to laughter then to tears again. Shadow and Draco hugged, only them hugging, while the others watched, laughing like maniacs, drastic contrasts, like night and day, sun and moon, dark and light. After an awkward moment, when they seemed to realise they were hugging a lot longer than friends would, they sprang apart, blushing. Lily turned to her daughter. "I have something...surprising to tell you," she said.

"Okay," she said. "I'm sorry, guys, but I'll be back in a moment."

"Shadow," said Lily, "Nigel Black wasn't a muggle. And Nigel Black did not exist." Shadow listened in growing horror as her mother began to explain whom, exactly, her real father was...

James Potter sat with his young, beautiful, and completely weak willed wife. She was named Callie, but he just called her C, when he actually talked to her. To James, she was a trophy to show off at Pureblood events, bragging to the world he had a blonde bimbo for a wife.

Sirius Black was sat with Remus Lupin in the Hog's Head, because Madam Pomphrey had sent them out of the castle, backed up my Minerva, for the families to be reunited. They spoke about Shadow Evans, Lily Evans, and whether James knew she was back.

Severus Snape was still in the castle, down in his dungeon, brewing a pepper-up potion. Apparently, the more students in the castle (only a few more, though), she needed at least three new batches. And usually, he'd only have to make one more batch at this time of year. Sighing, he looked at his clock. Only ten more minutes, and he'd have to deliver it to Poppy.

He looked around to the sight of Lily Evans running towards him. He'd always felt that he should tell Lily about Nigel Black, about getting her pregnant, but he couldn't. It was more than simple guilt, it was more than that, it was about what he had given, taken, from her and Shadow...

Lily looked at the man who had become Nigel Black, the man whom she had known before, the man she'd fallen in love with. She looked him over. "Put it on, the Nigel Black guise." He did so.

"You look old," she sighed.

"You look as young as ever," he replied, reaching out tentatively.

"I can't love you anymore. You left me."

"Not before you left me. But you're right. Let me be Shadow's father, please, Lily. That's all I ask, to know my blood-child."

"For your sake, I hope Shadow wants you. She's..." Lily couldn't find a word to describe her daughter, back up at the castle with its stone walls. "Anyway, just friends, right?"

"Just friends, Lily," he smiled, before turning around and dissaperating with a sharp crack.

Shadow Evans sat on the windowsill of the open window of the hospital wing onto the brightly lit night. It was a full moon, clear and sharp. She never had been able to sleep on full moons. They're beauty made her restless. Someone walked up behind her. _Draco_, her mind supplied as the soft, slim hands made gentle contact with her bare arm. She numbly patted the seat next to her. He sat, looking down at their legs with slight shock. "You're not scared of heights?" He questioned.

"I think the idea of falling is thrilling, not frightening," she replied in an almost trance-like state, staring down at the hard ground. "I think it's not the falling that they fear it's the ground. I fear neither. I am not a stranger to pain, Draco, I am far more experienced than I would wish to be. In both matters of the heart and body, I am experienced in pain. I thrive upon the wishes, resisting the call of death." She looked at him, emerald eyes clear. "I will welcome death, Draco, when he comes. I will embrace him. But I will not make his job easier."

Draco nodded, seemingly accepting her answer. He stood, offering her his arm. She took it, smiling, and under the moonlit sky, they danced in the eyes of a world that loved them, but the people in it hated them.

Lily walked slowly back to the hospital wing when she saw, through a crack in the door, Draco and Shadow dancing close to one another, feet moving through a quiet waltz. Silently, she took a step back and went back to her own rooms, and hoping that Shadow and Draco would soon recognise the feelings they had for one another, and sighing over what could have been her happy ending.


	11. My thanks and Sequel Alert

_To my dearest readers,_

_I must thank you all for listening to my inane ramblings. But I have some...special thanks to give out. _

_To my reviewers, the good and the bad:_

_Rori Potter, I love and thank you for your amazing support and for keeping me motivated._

_The Scarlet Letter, I love and thank you for the emotional support and the way that you complimented me when I felt insecure about my pairings._

_Christina-Tears, I love and thank you for the way you kept my spirits up. Chapter nine was my worst, I think. But don't be shy to tell me what to improve on!_

_Hushpuppy22, I love and thank you for the advice, and the criticism, but I didn't really think it was necessary. Honestly, I think if you didn't like it, you could have left. You might not even be reading this, but I still need to thank you. _

_Darkplayer35, I love and thank you for saying my story had potential. I hope you've stuck by me the way the others have, and if not, I'm sorry that I didn't live up to your expectations._

_Rockchick29, I love and thank you for respecting the fact that it is my story, and expressing your opinions. Don't be afraid to do so in the future, and finally, my very first reviewer:_

_can i be something else, I love and thank you for being my very first reviewer. I really hope you stuck by me until the very end. _

_I'm leaving you with a cliff-hanger, which is a little mean, but I'm going to post the first chapter soon, I swear._

_All my love and thanks,_

_funkyorange. _


	12. AN2, an apology

_To my dearest readers:_

_I would like to explain something. Severus IS NOT Shadow's father! I am really sorry if it came across that way, but he IS NOT. The reason is, I want Severus and Lily together in the future, and I decided it would be way too weird to have Shadow's father, who left knowing Lily was pregnant, with her again. Plus, don't you think Lily would _know_ Severus' habits? They were best friends! No, it's someone Lily doesn't know too well. Again, I'm really, really sorry for giving you that impression. _

_All my love and thanks, funky._


End file.
